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vacío

bah-SEE-oh/baˈsi.o/

empty

Also: vacant, hollow
A transparent glass jar sitting on a wooden table, completely empty inside, illustrating a lack of contents.

📝 In Action

El vaso estaba vacío después de que bebí todo.

A1

The glass was empty after I drank everything.

Sus palabras sonaron vacías y sin sinceridad.

B1

His words sounded hollow and insincere.

La oficina se siente vacía sin ti.

A2

The office feels empty without you.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • desocupado (unoccupied)
  • hueco (hollow)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • bolsillo vacío – empty pocket (broke)
  • amenaza vacía – empty threat

void, emptiness

Also: vacuum, gap
NounmB1
A small, simple figure standing at the edge of a large, deep, black circular hole in the ground, representing a void.

📝 In Action

Sintió un gran vacío en su vida después de mudarse.

B1

He felt a great void/emptiness in his life after moving.

El astronauta flotaba en el vacío del espacio.

B2

The astronaut floated in the vacuum of space.

Hay un vacío enorme entre lo que dice y lo que hace.

C1

There is an enormous gap between what he says and what he does.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • llenar un vacío – to fill a void
  • saltar al vacío – to jump into the void/abyss

flank steak

Also: skirt steak
NounmB2
Argentina/Uruguay
A thick, raw, oblong cut of flank steak resting on a wooden cutting board, ready for cooking.

📝 In Action

Para el asado, compramos un kilo de vacío.

B2

For the barbecue, we bought a kilo of flank steak.

El vacío a la parrilla es mi plato favorito.

B2

Grilled flank steak is my favorite dish.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • vacío a la parrilla – grilled flank steak

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "vacío" in Spanish:

emptiness→vacuum→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: vacío

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'vacío' as a noun describing a feeling of absence or loss?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
vaciar(to empty (verb)) — Verb
vaciamiento(emptying (noun)) — Noun
vacuidad(inane emptiness/futility) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
fríorío
📚 Etymology▼

The word 'vacío' comes directly from the Latin word *vacīvus*, meaning 'empty' or 'unoccupied'. This root also gave rise to words like 'vacation' and 'vacuum' in English, showing its long history related to absence or space.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: vacuumPortuguese: vazio

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'vacío' related to the verb 'vaciar'?

Yes, absolutely! 'Vaciar' means 'to empty' (like emptying a cup), and 'vacío' is the adjective describing something that *has been* emptied. 'Vacío' is also the 'yo' (I) form of the verb 'vaciar' in the present tense: 'Yo vacío la botella' (I empty the bottle).

How do I know if 'vacío' refers to 'empty' or 'flank steak'?

Context is key! If you are talking about food, especially barbecue, in Argentina or Uruguay, it means flank steak. In all other contexts, especially when describing objects or feelings, it means 'empty' or 'void'.